L Turn (Balance Beam)

Event
Balance beam

Skill type
Turn

Known asL turn
Leg-up full turn
Full turn with leg at horizontal
“The dreaded full turn ahahahahahaha”

Named after
The letter L

AboutAt the beginning of the open-code era, this C-rated element was nearly requisite since a turn had to be included among the routine’s (then) 10 counting skills. Following the removal of that rule for 2009, the L turn has fallen somewhat in frequency, though it is still useful as a C dance element and in combination with a regular turn.

It gained its reputation as “the dreaded full turn” during that 2008 quad when it seemed, anecdotally, that gymnasts would wobble on it more than any other more difficult acrobatic skill. (Probably because it was in routines more than any other more difficult acrobatic skill.) Even now, a wobble on an L turn is liable to get the “ugh, easiest skill in the routine” treatment, even though…you know…it clearly isn’t.